Spheres of agreement
Conflict resolution in Africa is just one of many issues addressed by the African-French Summit, writes Ibrahim Nafie

Little fanfare on pullout day
The celebrations which marked the September 1993 Oslo Accords were not matched this week as Israel finally carried out the first stage of its troop redeployment from the West Bank. From Jerusalem, Khaled Amayreh explains the reasons behind the indifference

Bidding Sarajevo farewell
The Egyptian battalion serving as part of the UN peace-keeping force in Bosnia was given a tearful farewell on Tuesday. Galal Nassar reports from Sarajevo

A conditional rapport
Will Egypt and Iran forge closer ties sooner rather than later? Dina Ezzat looks for an answer

Washington's predicament
America's Middle Eastern policy is in shambles, partly because of the Clinton administration's poor analytical acumen and largely because the tail that wags the dog does not really care about the dog's welfare. Eqbal Ahmad writes

Can the opposition topple Saddam?
The US and Britain say they want to topple Saddam Hussein. But, writes Al-Ahram Weekly's special correspondent on Iraqi affairs, the US plans are vague

'For the good of all Kurds'
In an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly in Ankara, Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani spoke to Safa Haeri about US plans to topple Saddam

Child's play? Well not quite, and certainly not for a growing number of the world's children. Almost a decade after the Convention on the Rights of the Child was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly children continueto suffer and die --read on-- also see Features Culture, children and society Inaugurating the Children's Book Fair on Tuesday was just one of Mrs Mubarak's many activities over the last few days. Rania Khallaf reports

First flight
Moussa talks

Festive tango
Last night saw the opening of the Cairo International Film Festival. Khairiya El-Bishlawi previews possible highlights